Smol Fry | Hercules X Lafayette

C h a p t e r T h i r t y n i n e

{A note that timelines will go back and forth in this chapter}

Thomas' POV

"T-Thomas, we- we can't just- just stand here and watch."

"Do you want to interfere, jog their memories that we still exist?"

"I- but- n-no..."

I was a fucking coward. Just observing someone you know getting beaten up. We just stood, avoiding the scene, pretending to be onlookers who had nothing to do with the situation. I could've tried to stop it: I might've been able to stop it escalating at the very least. But instead, we waited for Charles Lee and his sidekicks walk away from the Frenchman, until one of the teachers helped him up. I suppose I've learnt not to play the hero; that's the easiest role if you used to be mixed up with those sorts of people. If I didn't play the hero, no attention would be drawn to us, which meant that James would be safe, and to be honest, I gave shit-all about anything else.

"Thomas, we could have-" I knew what he was going to say. That's why I loved him so much - he didn't care about his own safety. But I did.

"No, we couldn't," I replied, deep down, I wanted to help, but James was always my priority, "It's not our battle to be fighting."

"B-but, he's my friend!" James protested, knowing deep down that I was probably right.

"I know Jemmy, but I have a feeling he's involved in something we shouldn't be," I said, taking a hold of his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze, "Trust me, I know how they used to be."

"T-then why not stop them? I-I know... what it's like to be punched," he mumbled, and I knew what he was referencing to. That was in the past, and there was no way he deserved to be reminded of it.

"I JUST WANT TO KEEP YOU SAFE, IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?"

A few people stopped and stared, but the commotion in the building was so loud, nobody else seemed to notice. He looked up at me for a split second, and immediately looked back down again. Nodding, he began to walk away, letting go of my hand, and I knew in that crowd of people, it was inevitable that you'd get lost alone. I started weaving in and out of the people to try and get to him - maybe he was right. In fact, he was.

I just wished I would've realised it sooner rather than later.

John's POV

Lafayette wasn't acting himself. I mean sure, he was normally pretty jumpy, and stammered sometimes, and broke into French occasionally, but this was a lot more than usual, he wasn't talking as much, and seemed to be avoiding Herc. Had something happened with those two? It had only been two weeks since college had started again - maybe he was just super stressed.

"Johnny, what's up? You look concerned... which anime character died? It was the one in the hat wasn't it?" Alex asked, looking up from his laptop

"No, but yes, I mean- Look, I'm not as concerned about that as I am Lafayette, he seems... out of it," I explained.

"I've been thinking that too, he looks bummed about something," he nodded, "It might be stress though..."

"Do you- you know, think something happened with him and Herc?" I asked, quieting my voice as Herc walked in with Lafayette and- oh. OH.

"Yeah, no, maybe not," Alex mumbled, turning the tv up a little more, "HERCULES, STOP INHALING YOUR BOYFRIEND, YOU'RE BEING LOUDER THAN THE TV!"

"WHAT?" He shouted from the kitchen, going back to what they were doing.